Gel scroller assembly for a luminaire

Abstract

A cassette containing a gel scroll is releasably attached to the forward portion of a housing of a luminaire. A light path through the cassette is aligned with a light exit opening of the luminaire. A gel scroll is wound upon a pair of drums in the cassette and intersects the light path. The drive motor for the cassette is contained in the housing of the luminaire. A drive system for the drums includes a driven member in the cassette that engages a drive member of the luminaire driven by the motor when the cassette is mounted on the luminaire. A fan in the luminaire moves cooling air through the cassette when the cassette is mounted on the luminaire.

1. A gel scroller assembly for a luminaire having a housing with a light beam exit opening, said scroller assembly comprising:
 a motor drive assembly mounted in the housing;  
 said motor drive assembly including a motor and a driver element driven by said motor and positioned adjacent to the exit opening;  
 a scroller cassette including a light passage;  
 a latching system releasably attaching said scroller cassette in an operating position on said housing with said light passage aligned with the exit opening;  
 said scroller cassette including a gel scroll drive system for moving a gel scroll across said light passage; and  
 said drive system including a driven member engaged by said driver element in said operating position of said scroller cassette.  
 
   
   
     2. The gel scroller assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a fan mounted in said housing, a fan air opening in said housing communicating with said fan, and said scroller cassette including a port aligned with said air opening in said operating position of said scroller cassette for the movement of air through said air opening and said port. 
   
   
     3. The gel scroller assembly of  claim 1 , said latching system including a manually moveable latch member. 
   
   
     4. The gel scroller assembly of  claim 1 , said drive system including a pair of drums and a drive component coupled to said driven member for rotating said drums simultaneously, said driver element comprising a rotatable driver element, and said driven member including a rotatable member coupled to said rotatable driver element. 
   
   
     5. The gel scroller assembly of  claim 4  further comprising a fan mounted in said housing, a fan air opening in said housing communicating with said fan, and said scroller cassette including a port aligned with said air opening in said operating position of said scroller cassette for the movement of air through said air opening and said port. 
   
   
     6. The gel scroller assembly of  claim 5 , said cassette being removable from the luminaire housing upon release of said latching system, said driver element separating from said driven member and said fan air opening separating from said port upon removal of said cassette from the luminaire housing. 
   
   
     7. The gel scroller assembly of  claim 4 , at least one of said drums having a recessed post, and a gel scroll having an end segment with an aperture receiving said recessed post. 
   
   
     8. The gel scroller assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising a pair of releasable hook and loop fastener elements connected between said driver element and said driven member. 
   
   
     9. A mechanically driven gel scroller cassette comprising:
 a cassette housing defining a light beam path through said cassette housing;  
 a pair of gel scroll drums at opposite sides of said light beam path;  
 a gel scroll wound upon said drums and intersecting said light beam path;  
 a drive mechanism in said cassette housing spaced from said gel scroll interconnecting said drums for simultaneous rotation; and  
 a mechanically driven element in said cassette housing coupled to said drive mechanism, said driven element having only a single drive connection accessible from the exterior of said cassette housing.  
 
   
   
     10. The gel scroller cassette of  claim 9 , at least one of said drums having a recessed post, and said gel scroll having an end segment with an aperture receiving said recessed post. 
   
   
     11. A mechanically driven gel scroller cassette comprising:
 a cassette housing defining a light beam path through said cassette housing;  
 a pair of gel scroll drums at opposite sides of said light beam path;  
 a gel scroll wound upon said drums and intersecting said light beam path;  
 a drive mechanism interconnecting said drums for simultaneous rotation; and  
 a mechanically driven element coupled to said drive mechanism, said driven element having a drive connection accessible from the exterior of the cassette housing;  
 said drive connection comprising part of a hook and loop fastener pair.  
 
   
   
     12. A light modifying medium changer assembly for a luminaire having a housing including a light beam exit opening, said changer assembly comprising:
 a motor drive assembly mounted in the housing;  
 said motor drive assembly including a motor and a driver element driven by said motor and positioned adjacent to the exit opening;  
 a cassette having a light passage;  
 a latching system releasably attaching said cassette in an operating position on said housing with said light passage aligned with the exit opening;  
 said cassette including a light modifying medium and a drive system for moving said light modifying medium relative to said light passage; and  
 said drive system including a driven member engaged by said driver element in said operating position of said cassette.  
 
   
   
     13. A medium changer assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , said medium comprising a scroll, and said drive system including a pair of drums. 
   
   
     14. A medium changer assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , said scroll comprising a gel scroll. 
   
   
     15. A medium changer assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising a fan mounted in said housing, a fan air opening in said housing communicating with said fan, and said cassette including a port aligned with said air opening in said operating position of said cassette for the movement of air through said air opening and said port.